


Take care of me.

by EliSeciereLL



Category: Final Fantasy XIV, Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Falling In Love, Female Friendship, Gaming, Love, Romance, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-11-22 20:33:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11387877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EliSeciereLL/pseuds/EliSeciereLL
Summary: When Eli pulled a lottery ticket to participate in her favorite parfait shop's lottery, she didn't expect to win anything. However, unbeknownst to the young girl, the first prize will open the gate to a world called Eorzea, where she'll meet someone who turns her life upside down.





	1. Lucky winner!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this story, first of all! It's my very first one and I am really nervous to post it on here.  
> I am writing it partially to finally improve my English to a level I am comfortable with, but I'm also viewing it as an opportunity to express a story I've been thinking of for a long time. Updates might be infrequent, but I want to at least release a chapter once per week.
> 
> I would very much appreciate help and corrections if my English is weird/wrong/completely bad. Just send me a message and I'll gladly come back to it.
> 
> Now then, sit back, and enjoy the story to the best of your ability!

It was at hot Saturday afternoon at the end of July. The thermometer showed a burning 34° C while the unforgiving sun blazed down on the earth. Those who are able to avoid going outside stayed inside their houses, where the AC managed to keep the temperature bearable. Of course, some still had to go to work and despite summer holidays starting next week, students had to go to school for the last time before they were relieved from studying for six weeks. Most students headed straight home, talking to one another about their summer projects for the coming weeks, making plans to go to the beach or inviting each other to do some shopping together.

This was of course no different for the students from Otonokizaka High, where students where rushing out the school gates as soon as the bell had rung. The silence, that hung in the air previously, was eliminated by the buzzing noise of conversations overlapping one another, sounding like waves solemnly crashing into the beach. There was one student whose expression remained neutral as she solitarily walked at her own pace down the stairs in the direction of the school gates. She was of average height, maybe a little taller than her peers. Her blue eyes looked straight forward without showing signs of doubt in her movements, while her long, blonde hair was tied back to a ponytail. It was the student council president, Ayase Eli, who is well respected among the students, albeit being known for her strict and serious attitude. While she politely returned any wishes of her having a nice summer holiday, she never takes the initiative to greet someone.

Eli was initially planning to go home without taking any detours and intended to start studying for her entrance exam as soon as she arrived. But even the incinerating heat didn't leave the cold-minded 3rd year untouched. "I should stop by the parfait shop to cool down a bit." Eli's thoughts quickly shifted over to which frozen delicacy she is going pick this time as her feet corrected her path to turn left at a corner instead of making a right.

It didn't take long for Eli to arrive at her favorite place in the city, where she is often found to take a break from student council duties and studying. The parfait shop was small but cozy. It wasn't big enough to draw many customers into the little business, but also not too small for the customers to feel lonely. The perfect size is what she liked about it the most. "Welcome, Eli-chan!" Eli was greeted immediately by the elderly shop keeper as she closed the door behind her. It's a bit unusual for a shop keeper to know a customer's name, but given her regular visits, she got friendly with the couple who ran this shop. "Good afternoon, Mitsuoka-san", Eli politely returned the greeting. She sat down at her favorite place, who she was happy to find unoccupied. "I will be with you in a moment", the man behind the counter said to the blonde. He was busy finishing business with another customer. "Thank you for your patronage and have a nice day!" The man bowed down as the purple haired girl opened the door to step outside, her twintails catching a bit of flight. Was she wearing a uniform from Otonokizaka? Eli couldn't help but watch the girl leaving, but she couldn't get more than a glimpse before the girl was out of her sight. "Looks like I am not the only one who frequents this shop", Eli mumbled to herself.

After finishing the blueberry ice cream parfait, her favorite, the student council president felt a little relieved from the heat. Her mind drifted back to her studies and things associated with it. "Is there anything else we can bring you?" Eli was pulled out of her thoughts by the smiling elderly lady, who she recognized as the wife of Mitsuoka-san. "Oh, no, thank you very much. The parfait was delicious, as always. But I've got to go now, I'm probably spending my summer studying for the entrance exams for college." The smile of the woman grew into a worrisome expression. "Oh, Eli-chan, please don't overwork yourself. You're far too young to dedicate your free time to working and studying." The blonde smiles shyly. " I want to get into a good college and their entrance exams aren't to be taken lightly. But I appreciate your concern, and I will make sure to stop by the shop a few times when the heat gets to me", she promised. The worried look on Mitsuoka-san's face did not vanish, but after a second it seemed like she remembered something. "Oh, if you're leaving then, why don't you take a ticket from our district's summer lottery? Every customer gets to draw a ticket, maybe you'll get lucky!" The eager student couldn't think of a reason why not, so once the shop keeper brought the lot box, she stuck her arm in it and drew the first one that touched her hand. Calmly, she tore the blue paper roll open. It read: _Lucky winner! You won the first prize!_

The lady's eyes widened and grew into a big smile. "Congratulations, Eli-chan!" Eli's heart beat quickened and she just sat there, dumbfounded. She didn't except to win anything, let alone winning the first prize. "Mitsuoka-san, what exactly did I win?" Her eyes turned to the elderly woman. "Let me see..." Eli watched the shop keeper vanishing in the backroom, only to return with a greyish package. The chair ached as she put the box down next to Eli. "Here it is, Eli-chan. It seems to be a... Playstation 4, if I read that correctly. Something like a... Final Fantasy XIV bundle it says?" Eli's initial excitement dropped the second she learned that it is a game console she won. "Thank you very much, Mitsuoka-san, but... what am I supposed to do with this? I've never played a video game in all of my life and I have no intention of starting to play them." The woman smiled at the girl. "Well, it is _your_ prize, so you might as well take it home, where you can figure out what to do with it. It seems to also come with a game, so why don't you try it out?" Eli couldn't find a reason to disagree with the lady, so she thanked her, paid for her parfait and went home. 

Eli dropped the box off on her bed as she arrived in her room. She put her school bag on its usual place next to her desk and started changing out of her school uniform into something more comfortable and decided to take a quick shower to brush off the sweat. As she was drying her hair with a towel, Eli looked at the clock. It was far later in the evening than she had anticipated and it was time for dinner for her and her little sister, Alisa. Towel in hand, she went to the middle schooler's room to ask whether she wanted to help preparing. The 14-year-old girl looked like a younger, far more cheerful and energetic Eli. Her slightly lighter hair, which she's keeping undone, are one of the few things that sets her apart from her older sister. The studying girl looks up from her homework, nodding with excitement.

During dinner, Alisa was as talkative as usual. She'd go on and on about her school day, the plans she made with her friends from the school for summer and, of course, all the activities she'd like to do with her sister while summer vacation lasted. Eli listened far more than she talked herself, but she enjoyed hearing all about Alisa's thoughts. When her family moved here from Russia, she feared that her little sister might not take the change very well and grow into a lonely little girl. But ever since Alisa started attending middle school, she's been beaming with joy, which put her older sister's worries to rest. "How was your day, onee-san?" The question usually notified Eli that her sister has finished talking about the things she wanted to share with her sister. Swallowing down the bite of food she currently had in her mouth, Eli thought about her day. "It has been mostly been the usual, although I somehow managed to win the first prize of the food district's lottery. I ate a parfait at Mitsuoka's." Alisa's eyes lit up. "Really? What did you win?", she asked excitedly. "Some sort of game console", Eli thought aloud. "I'm not sure what to do with it. I've never taken any interest in video games." "Why don't you just try it out?", Alisa echoed the shop keepers words. "I know you're planning on studying the whole summer, but you'll wear yourself out if you're head is stuck in a book from morning until the evening. It might be a nice change of pace!" It was rare to hear words of reasoning from her little sister, but Eli also knew that Alisa was right. She gets tired after a whole morning and afternoon of learning, and even then she usually just switches to the book she is currently enjoying outside of her school works until her eyes start to protest. "I'll think about it", the blonde answered to her little sister.

As she went back to her room, the first thing Eli noticed was the box laying on her bed. At first, she thought about unpacking it to just see what was inside, but then she grabbed it and moved the package next to her TV. "First things first", her diligent side told herself and sat her down at her desk, where she started working on some math problems until midnight. Afterwards, the tired student council president fell into a deep, restorative sleep.


	2. New World, New Start!

On the next day, which was a Sunday, Eli followed her usual routine for a free day. She got up at 8, took a long, satisfying shower, after which she made sure to take proper care for her hair. The caring older sister made sure to prepare an balanced, yet tasty breakfast for her and her little sister, which she enjoyed while listening to the middle-schooler's plans. Reinvigorated, Eli left the dishes for her little sister while she started to work on English grammar and vocabulary.

It was well past 2 p.m. when two little knocks came from the door to Eli's room. "Come on in", the 17-year-old exclaimed. It was Alisa, carrying a tray with a plate with some rice balls and a cup of tea. "I brought you a little snack. You've been studying all morning." "Oh, thank you very much, Alisa. I didn't even notice how hungry I've gotten", the blonde admitted. Her eyes wandered to the clock. "Or how late it has gotten, either. But I made some good progress." The little girl smiled happily as she put the tray down on the little table in Eli's room. "I am proud of you, onee-san. Seeing you work so diligently is a good motivation for me, too!" As she went back to the door, she added: "Enjoy the snack!" And with that, the girl was out of the room. Eli's stomach only emphasized her younger sister's suggestion with an audible rumble, so she got up and sat down at the kotatsu table. Her eyes wandered to the dark package next to her TV as she grabbed a rice ball. "Might as well unpack it now", she thought to herself and went to get it as she hastily ate the rice ball in her hand. After a little bit of fiddling with the package, which required a pair of scissors to get open, the inside was laid out on her floor. There was the white game console along with the proprietary cables, a little device, which was also white, which she recognized as the controller and a blue box with a colorful cover. The cover showed a castle amidst clouds, and above the title Final Fantasy XIV Online was printed in slim, but tall letters.

It took the inexperienced high school student a little bit of time to hook the weird box up to her TV, but with the help of the manual, it was done in a few minutes. Her screen lit up as the console powered on. After a bit of setup, Eli took a bit of time to get used to the controller and the interface, which she both found easy to get acquainted to. "All that is left is to start the game I suppose", mumbled the curious girl and clicked on the menu point. Luckily for her, the game was already installed and didn't require any installation. The game guided her through the account creation (it is an online game after all) and then she was greeted by the title screen. Eli went straight to the "Start Game" option, after which she arrived at the character creation. "Is it asking me to create a virtual version of myself?" The game offered her six options: The human-like Hyur, the feline Miqo'te, the tall, elven-like Elezen, the strong and broad Roegadyn, the small, but cunning Lalafell or the Au Ra, who look like humans with dragon scales. After giving it a bit of thought, Eli chose a graceful Elezen woman. She wished to be a little bit taller herself, but the Roegadyn just didn't suit her taste. Eli took quite some time playing around with the creation tool to get the look of her character as close to her real self, with some minor adjustments on height and shape to like it a little bit better. One thing was different from her apperance in the real world - her character had dark, brown hair. Once she was happy with the elvish lady, she continued to the class selection. "I am really inexperienced in battle, but I still want to be of some use", Eli thought to herself. Her cursor wandered over the different classes stopped over the conjurer. She read the description of the class as her character examined herself in the white robe.

> _Conjury calls upon the elements of earth, wind, and water and concentrates them to a potency at which spells can be weaved. Through practiced meditation on the essences of creation, conjurers draw forth and absorb aether from their immediate surroundings. A wand or cane made from unworked wood is then utilized to focus the aether until it manifests as the desired spell. Versed also in magicks that restore and strengthen, conjurers are regarded as accomplished healers._

" Restore and strengthen... sounds like a supportive class. Why not?" Happy with her choice, she confirmed her decision. As her guardian deity, the conjurer-to-be chose Nophica, the Matron and set the nameday of her character, which is the substitution for a birthday, to the 21st Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon, which Eli assumed to be her real birthday in the Eorzean calendar. The name for her character revealed itself to be the biggest challenge. She went with Yoshino as the first name, given how a conjurer takes power from the nature. The given name took the usually creative student a while. "_Nanjou_ feels sort of familiar" , the student council president thought to herself, nibbling on the last rice ball. Lucky for her, the name was not taken yet. Pleased with her created character, Eli started the game.

After the intro sequence and a little tutorial on controls, Yoshino found herself in a green forest city. Having grasped the basic means of movement, the freshly born conjurer explored the area for a bit. A bunch of other people, which Yoshino recognized to be other player characters, were running and standing around in the big zone. Watching after them, reading to their conversations and just standing in the middle of all of it gave Yoshino a feeling of liveliness. _This might be fun after all._ However, after wandering around for so long, Yoshino lost the way to her first destination. She struggled to open the map, but even after finally managing to open it, the Elezen couldn't figure out where to go. _I'm lost in the first minutes of the game_ , Yoshino sighed. Should she ask another player for help? Her shy nature wasn't any help here.

> [15:21]Kusuda Aina: nanjou-san? can I help you?

The conjurer noticed her name popping up in the chat log, being mentioned by somebody named Kusuda-san. She quickly looked around to find a character by that name not standing too far from her. It was what Yoshino recognized to be a female Au Ra in a dark purple armor, a heavy-looking greatsword sitting on her back. The face was a bit covered by a headband, but the auburn-coloured twintails and her matching brown eyes were clearly visible. Darkish horns stood out of her temples, which let her face seem friendlier for some reason.

> [15:21]Nanjou Yoshino: It seems so... I fear I got lost in this big city and forgot where I was supposed to go.  
>  [15:21]Kusuda Aina: oh, is that all? come on, let me show you :P

The dragon lady made gestures to follow her as she went on her way. Yoshino made sure not to lose her in the crowd and was relieved to have somebody show her the way instead of nervously asking somebody here. _She seems nice_ , the Elezen thought to herself. Kusuda-san stopped in front of a big building and waited smilingly for her pupil to arrive.

> [15:23]Kusuda Aina: here we are, the Adventurer's Guild! In the first hours of the game you will come back here quite often, so make sure to remember it :)  
>  [15:23]Nanjou Yoshino: Thank you for helping me! It is my very first video game, and I started with an online game of all things...  
>  [15:23] _Kusuda Aina looks at Nanjou Yoshino in surprise._  
>  [15:23]Kusuda Aina: this is your very first step into the virtual world? :o  
>  [15:23]Nanjou Yoshino: Yes, I won a console and this game in a lottery. I've never taken any interest in video games before.  
>  [15:24]Kusuda Aina: let me show you the ropes then! i've been playing this game for quite some time already  
> 

A window popped up on Yoshino's screen. _Kusuda Aina has sent a friend request._ The available options were to accept the offer to recline it. Realizing that she needed somebody to help her around, Yoshino accepted the offer. The name plate of Kusuda-san turned yellow, signifying the friend status.

> [15:24]Nanjou Yoshino: Thank you for taking your time with me, Kusuda-sensei.  
>  [15:24] _Nanjou Yoshino bows courteously to Kusuda Aina._  
>  [15:24] _Kusuda Aina bursts out laughing at Nanjou Yoshino._  
>  [15:25]Kusuda Aina: i'm sorry for laughing, please, just call me Aina ;)  
>  [15:25]Kusuda Aina: in exchange, let me call you Yoshino :)  
>  [15:26] _Nanjou Yoshino sees Kusuda Aina and blushes with embarrassment._  
>  [15:26]Nanjou Yoshino: It is a bit sudden for me to call somebody by their first name so soon, but if you insist... thank you, Aina-san.  
>  [15:26] _Kusuda Aina motions joyfully to Nanjou Yoshino._  
>  [15:26]Kusuda Aina: looks like the ice is broken then! i have to log off for now, but i hope i'll see you soon, Yoshino-san? :)  
>  [15:26] _Kusuda Aina bids farewell to Nanjou Yoshino._  
>  [15:27]Nanjou Yoshino: I'll get back to studying for the day, but I'll make sure to log on again tomorrow.  
>  [15:27]Kusuda Aina: see you tomorrow, then!  
> 

The brown-haired Au Ra disappeared in front of her, which scared Yoshino for a second, but she quickly realized that she just logged off. _I should do the same_ , Yoshino told herself. She opened the menu to find the log out button and pressed it.

Eli turned the console off and laid the controller down on the table. She didn't expect herself to be this involved with the game in such a short time. Making a friend, let alone a veteran of the game, in the first hour of playing was something the girl didn't expect. "I'm happy though", Eli smilingly thought to herself. "I hope I can see her tomorrow as again." After she brought the dishes back down into the kitchen, she continued to study until dinner. However, the cheeky personality of the purple-armored character couldn't quite leave her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> This is the first chapter in which Eli dove into the wonderful world called Eorzea. While I'll try to describe most of the game-specific terms to the best of my ability, I would highly advise you to at least look up pictures of the different races and classes/jobs to get a better idea of their design.
> 
> Some information for the veteran players of the game: The state of the game will be just around the release of Patch 3.4, so don't expect to see any Stormblood-related things. I also won't put any story spoilers or content in here. Then again, the story mostly revolves around the relationship of Nozomi and Eli, with the game being used as an environment for them to meet and to develop their relationship further. I won't go into specific terms in order for everybody to be able to enjoy the story as much as somebody who doesn't play the game, players of the game however will quickly recognize some areas or abilities, so look forward to that!
> 
> In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll see you soon!


	3. The first step is always the hardest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whisper messages are usually handled a bit differently in Final Fantasy XIV, but to prevent confusion, I'll change it so it's easier to read. 
> 
> Have fun with the chapter!

Studying on the next morning went by with ease. Eli was looking forward to meeting Kusuda... no, Aina-san again and to explore the game further. It was still an embarrasing thought for her to call somebody she's never met in person by her first name, even if it's made-up. Eli stopped working on Japanese grammar for a moment to give voice to a thought. Nobody has offered her to use their first name before, she realized. Everyone in school meets her with respect, and it doesn't seem like the students dislike her. However, there is always this feeling of distance when she's talking to her peers about something. There have been some girls in her class offering to go shopping together during her first year at Otonokizaka, but she was so absorbed in her studies that she had to decline the offer to continue meeting her standards. Her diligence earned her the position of student council president, but that didn't change the behaviour of her classmates towards her.

As if she was putting the thought to rest, Eli laid her pen down on the table and closed the notebook she was doing exercises with. "That should be enough for now", she said to herself. _With both studying and this train of thought._ Like yesterday, two little knocks notified the blonde of her little sister standing in front of her door to bring her a little snack. After placing the tray on Eli's kotatsu table, Alisa grinned like a Cheshire cat at her older sister. Eli couldn't help but smile in response. " What is it? Did something good happen, Alisa-chan?" The middle schooler nodded with excitement. "A classmate of mine, Yukiho-chan, asked me to come over to her house today! Her parents run a sweets shop and we want to make our own!" Eli felt happy for her little sister. "That sounds like a lot of fun! Make sure to be polite to her parents and be home before it gets too dark, understood?""Of course, onee-san! You should have some fun too!"And with that, Alisa was out the door. "I should do as I was told", the student council president hummingly responded to her now gone sister and turned the console on.

It only took her half a minute before Yoshino found herself back in front of the Adventurer's Guild. _Where is Aina-san?_ It seems like she heard Yoshino thinking, because at the same time a little sound notified the Elezen of a personal message she got.

> [14:44]Kusuda Aina  >> yoshino-san! you came ^o^  
>  [14:45]Nanjou Yoshino >> Of course I did, I told you so!  
>  [14:45]Nanjou Yoshino >> I don't see you around here, where are you?  
>  [14:45]Kusuda Aina >> i'm in a different area, do you want me to come over and help you out? :)  
>  [14:45]Nanjou Yoshino >> That would be very helpful! I am still in front of the Adventurer's Guild.  
>  [14:46]Kusuda Aina >> i'll be right there ^-^  
> 

It didn't even take 30 seconds for the Au Ra to show up and greet the conjurer with a variety of emotes, while Yoshino herself merely bows politely. After the seemingly weird greeting, Aina showed her new friend around the city. The area looked small at first, but after a while of sightseeing, explaining and walking around, Yoshino could easily see how she got lost. Luckily she had her dark-scaled guide with her who took her time for her like she had nothing better to do. She _doesn't_ have anything better to do... right?

> [15:03]Kusuda Aina: and over here is the market board, which you can use to buy stuff from other players... but you won't need to until much later maybe  
>  [15:03]Nanjou Yoshino: Kusuda-san?  
>  [15:03]Kusuda Aina: i told you, call me aina  >:( what's up? :)  
>  [15:04]Nanjou Yoshino: Yes, sorry... I don't mean to sound unappreciative, but... don't you have anything better to do than to show me around?  
>  [15:04]Nanjou Yoshino: You don't gain anything from this, and I really don't want to waste your time...  
> 

As if Yoshino said something unforgiveable, Aina stopped in her movements and remained silent for what seemed to be an eternity for the talkative woman she thought her to be. The moment she opened the chat to form an apology, Aina answered.

> [15:05]Kusuda Aina: there is something I gain from this  
>  [15:05]Kusuda Aina: it's not something I can get by doing other stuff  
>  [15:05]Kusuda Aina: so let me help you out, okay? ^v^  
>  [15:06]Nanjou Yoshino: I don't quite understand, but I thank you again for your patience with me.  
>  [15:06] _Kusuda Aina bursts out laughing at Nanjou Yoshino._  
>  [15:06]Kusuda Aina: i'm sorry for laughing, again  
>  [15:06]Kusuda Aina: but you're so polite, it's actually kind of cute  
>  [15:07]Kusuda Aina: we're friends, aren't we? ^_^ be a little bit more relaxed around me  
>  [15:07]Nanjou Yoshino: But we've only known each other for what, 50 minutes maybe? Are we friends?  
>  [15:07] _Nanjou Yoshino sees Kusuda Aina and blushes with embarrassment._  
>  [15:08]Kusuda Aina: why wouldn't we be? :o We're already doing fun stuff together ^o^  
> 

The two of them continued the tour until they came back to the Adventurer's Guild, where they started on Yoshino's journey to become a better conjurer. Aina watched over the new player, explaining things along the way while also making sure Yoshino didn't overestimate herself. There was a lot of information for the conjurer to process, but she caught on quickly. First battles were fought, levels were gained, and Yoshino quickly got the hang of playing the game.

> [16:14]Nanjou Yoshino: Aina, what class are you?  
>  [16:14]Kusuda Aina: oh right, you haven't seen any advanced jobs yet :) i'm a dark knight \o/  
>  [16:14]Nanjou Yoshino: Dark knights? Are they Damage... Dealers (?) as well?  
>  [16:15]Kusuda Aina: no, we're tanks >:) we're making sure that you don't get hurt by the evil monsters  
>  [16:15]Kusuda Aina: we're directing their attention towards us so you can do your thing without having to worry  
>  [16:15]Nanjou Yoshino: I see! That sounds like a really important job!  
>  [16:16]Kusuda Aina: yours is even more important! tanks are resilient, but not invincible  
>  [16:16]Kusuda Aina: us tanks need to rely on you healers to keep us healthy and free of negative effects  
>  [16:17]Kusuda Aina: take care of me :)  
>  [16:17] _Kusuda Aina bows courteously to Nanjou Yoshino._  
>  [16:18]Nanjou Yoshino: Now you're the polite one!  
> 

The two of them continued to explore. Making their way through thick forests, dark caves and helping out various NPC citizens, Yoshino had great fun getting taught by Aina. The heavily armored woman had an abundance of patience for the Elezen, and they shared many laughs. Yoshino was a quick learner, which is why at the end of the day, Yoshino was ready to face her first dungeon.

> [18:42]Kusuda Aina: you made some good progress today ^o^ next up would be your first instanced dungeon, but...  
>  [18:42]Nanjou Yoshino: But?  
>  [18:42]Kusuda Aina: we should wait for some of the group I usually play with to tag along, but none of them seem to be online atm :/  
>  [18:42]Nanjou Yoshino: Oh, that's fine. I wanted to take a break anyways since we've been going for almost four hours now...  
>  [18:43]Nanjou Yoshino: Let's do it tomorrow!  
>  [18:43]Kusuda Aina: tomorrow is not good for me, I have stuff to do and I might not be able to log on :(  
>  [18:44]Nanjou Yoshino: I see... how does the day after sound like? I promise I won't go without you!  
>  [18:44]Kusuda Aina: if you put it that way, how can I resist? :P sounds good to me  
>  [18:44]Kusuda Aina: i have to go for the day, see you o7  
> 

Like last time, Aina vanished from the place she was standing, but this time Yoshino knew she was just logging off. She sighed and did the same.

"Nee-san? Want to make dinner?" Eli heard Alisa call for her from the kitchen downstairs. It seems like she already returned from her friends' house, which made Eli realized how much time actually had passed. _Time really does fly when you're having fun._ " Coming!" She picked up the tray with the dishes from her lunch and went downstairs to help her sister.

When she returned to her room to continue studying, Aina-san's words echoed in her head. _We're friends, aren't we?_ It brought a smile to Eli's face as she continued to work on the assignments. It's been a while since somebody last called her a friend.


	4. Fateful Encounter

After the usual morning of studying, Eli was a bit sad that she couldn't play with Aina-san today. _I'm behaving like an elementary schooler who only thinks of playing with their friends after school_ , she realized. The weather today wasn't as bad as it was on Saturday, so Eli decided to go grocery shopping as her family was running out of food. Diligent as she was, she went around the house to check what was needed and put everything down on an organized list. As she went by the mirror in the hallway, the blonde noticed she was still wearing her comfort clothes, and couldn't stand the embarrassing thought of going out like this. Eli went back to her room to change into something more appropiate. It didn't take Eli long to figure out what she wanted to wear. The light-blue fabric instantly caught her eye, and with an elegant pull, the summer dress was freed from its prison that was Eli's closet. For any other person, the dress itself wouldn't be anything special. It was light, about knee-length with two thin straps. A wavy pattern in white highlighted the hem, and an elastic collar a bit higher than the hip made sure it would stay in place. The sky-blue colour complimented her eyes very well. To Eli, this dress is very important. It is a gift from her grandmother, who made it herself as a gift for her departure to Japan. At the time, the dress wouldn't quite fit the little girl, but after she grew a little, the dress fit Eli as if her grandmother took measurements from the future.

Eli carefully put the dress on, making sure that the dress wouldn't get caught on any edge and get damaged. For her feet, she went with the usual white sandals she bought specifically for this dress. Whenever Eli put this outfit on, her mood instantly rose. She felt confident, beautiful and a bit more mature. After re-establishing her ponytail, she looked at herself in the mirror, doing a few spins in front of it, before taking the shopping bag and heading out of the house.

The shopping trip didn't take the practised student coucil president very long. She was happy that most of things she bought were on a discount, so there was some money left over that was intended for groceries this week. Usually, Eli would put the remaining money back into savings, but today, she felt like a parfait would round out her day. And since the parfait shop was on her way home, it didn't even take a detour for her.

As she entered Mitsuoka-san's, Eli was caught off guard by the amount of people that were sitting in the little cafe. Usually, only her and maybe two or three more tables were occupied, but this time around, all but one table were filled with chatting customers. Still, Eli was happy to find her favorite table unoccupied. As she sat down while carefully placing the full shopping bag on the ground, Mitsuoka-san was already on his way to her table.

"Good afternoon, Eli-chan!" "Good afternoon, Mitsuoka-san! What's with all those people? I've never seen it this full in here", Eli smilingly asked the busy man. "We got recommended by a popular magazine yesterday, and it seems like they wanted to see whether it was true what the magazine wrote. But, as you see, your favorite table was free. Maybe it was fate?", the man laughingly answered. "What would you like to order this time?" The girl quickly skimmed the menu for any new parfaits, but in the end, she settled for a banana cream pie parfait. "A good choice as always", Mitsuoka-san nodded in agreement, and went back to the kitchen to prepare her order. Eli used the time to look around the cafe for anyone she might know, but it seems like mostly parents and their kids were seated around the other tables. Her eyes almost to a magazine that was lying on the table the moment she noticed a girl entering the shop. The first thing Eli noticed was that she was a bit taller than Eli, and her body a bit curvier, but in no way something to be called fat. The girl wore her long, dark-purple hair in two tails, each seperated with a pink ribbon. Her tanktop was coloured in a lighter purple, and complimented by a beige skirt with a rose pattern. A bracelet adorned her right wrist, and a silver watch her left. 

The purpleish theme of the girl had a sense of familiarity for Eli, which reminded her a bit of Aina-san's armor. Eli watched the girl talk to Mitsuoka-san's wife, apparently asking whether any table was free. Mitsuoka-san's wife pointed towards Eli's table, and gestured towards the girl to follow her. "Eli-chan, would you mind if she sat with you? All of our other tables are full...", Mitsuoka-san's wife asked the blonde as they arrived at her table. "Not at all, Mitsuoka-san", Eli politely answered and turned to the girl, gesturing towards the chair on the opposite side of the table. "Please, sit down!" The purple-haired girl looked like she wanted to say something, bowed instead and sat down. "Can I bring you the usual, Nozomi-chan?", Mitsuoka-san asked the tall girl, who nodded while looking down at her hands which were resting on her lap. It was the first time that Eli heard Mitsuoka-san addressing a customer other than herself by their name, which led her to believe that she must be a regular as well. But unlike her, who tries out something new everytime she's here, Nozomi seems to order the same parfait everytime, Eli thought to herself. There was a very shy and introverted aura around the girl, almost as if she wore it like an armor to protect herself. However, Eli noticed that Nozomi quickly glanced at her occasionally as they were waiting for their parfaits. _She's nothing like Aina-san_ , Eli sighed in her mind. _It would've also been a funny coincidence if I met her in this cafe of all places._ " Um... e-... excuse me, could you be the student council president, Ayase-san?" Eli almost jumped up in her seat when Nozomi-san began talking. She didn't expect her to strike up a conversation. "Um... yes, I am. Are you a student of Otonokizaka?" The blonde smiled at the purple-haired girl, who nodded at her hesitantly. "I'm in your class, sitting in the row behind you. Do you remember me?" Eli collected her memories about her classroom. She was sitting in the third row next to the window, in front of her is sitting Hirasawa-san, to her right sits the black-haired Akiyama-san and behind her should be... It took Eli a bit of time to think of the name. "Are you... Toujou-san? I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you immediately!" Eli felt a bit sorry for the girl. If her memory serves right, Toujou-san entered and left the classroom whenever the bell rung. It was almost impossible to notice her when she's only present during class. "It's... it's quite alright. You're actually the first one of my classmates to remember my name. As expected of the student council president...", the girl quietly answered. Eli noticed a hint of a smile in Toujou-san's face. "You seem to be a regular to Mitsuoka-san's parfait shop as well, I've never noticed her to address anybody but me by name", Eli said, which Toujou-san answered with an almost unnoticeable nod. "Yes, I've been to this shop since after my first day at Otonokizaka High. I just wandered around the city, looking for a quite place to settle down." "It's the same for me! Kind of funny that we never ran into each other, with us being in our third year...", the blonde exclaimed. Toujou-san only nodded in agreement. 

After their parfaits arrived, the both of them sat and ate in silence. Eli couldn't help but notice that Toujou-san's regular was her favorite, a blueberry ice-cream parfait. _This can't be just coincidence at this point..._ Toujou-san seemed to take glances at Eli during eating, but whenever the student council president wanted to make eye contact with her classmate, the purple-haired girl had already looked back at her parfait. A little later, both crystalline bowls were empty, and the girls sat at the table in silence. After a while, Eli took a glance at the watch on Toujou-san's wrist and decided that it was time for her to return home and to continue studying. " I must take my leave now, Toujou-san. It was nice meeting you here, though! I hope we run into each other some time again", she said with a bow and turned towards the door. "I... I hope so too, Ayase-san. Would you sit with me the next time we meet here?" The tall girl turned to Eli and looked at her with a faint smile. It wasn't a usual smile you could see anywhere. Some are fake, some polite, some exaggerated. Eli could see the honesty in the smile, but there was a glimmer of sadness to be found in Toujou-san's green eyes. It caught Eli off guard, as she was standing there for a few seconds, looking at the purple-haired girl. Toujou-san quickly turned back to the table after Eli looked for more than a second. "I'd be glad to. See you!" Eli smiled at her, turned around, and left.

Nozomi heard the door close, and Mitsuoka-san approached her. "Nozomi-chan, was that a friend of yours? I've never heard you talk to somebody besides me and my wife, let alone talk this much!" Her face reddened and she turned away from the elderly man. "S-she... she's somebody I respect, and sort of a role model for me. If your wife hadn't insisted, I wouldn't even had sat with her on this table. I was surprised at myself that I managed to talk to her, even having a conversation. Maybe jumping over my shadow to approach to that girl online helped me after all." She paused for a moment, but her face saddened. "She'll never want to be friends with me, though..."


	5. Meeting µ's

> [15:30](Nanjou Yoshino) Are you sure it's alright if we ask them for help?  
>  [15:30](Kusuda Aina) of course :o they helped me too when I was new  
>  [15:31](Kusuda Aina) plus, they owe me >:)  
>  [15:31]Iida Riho joins the party.  
>  [15:31]Kubo Yurika joins the party.  
>  [15:31](Iida Riho) (^o^)/  
>  [15:31](Kubo Yurika) Good afternoon. ^^  
> 

Before Yoshino knew it, her party had two new members, who apparently belonged to Aina's free company. A free company is a group of people who play together under one name, Aina explained earlier today. In most games those groups would be called "guilds". The FC Aina and her friends belonged to was named "Muse", and their token, which showed next to their name, was <µ's>, like the greek letter. The name was Aina's idea.

Not long after they joined the party, the two of them showed up in front of the entrance to the dungeon. Iida Riho was a female Miqo'te monk with a brown bob hair cut. Her leather armor was mostly dyed yellow, but overall pleasing to the eye. As for her weapons, she used phoenix-like claws, which imposed Yoshino. Kubo Yurika was a human-like hyuran woman with medium-length dark brown hair, which sported a braid around her head like a hairband.

> [15:33](Kubo Yurika) I'm glad we can finally play together! :) Aina told us so much about you... at one point she wouldn't stop talking about you lol  
>  [15:33](Kusuda Aina) gee, Yurika :< don't scare her off pls  
>  [15:33](Iida Riho) we were surprised when aina told us she made a friend \\(^-^)/  
>  [15:33](Iida Riho) she's usually only talking to us  
>  [15:34](Kusuda Aina) why are you doing this to me  
>  [15:34](Kusuda Aina) brb dying of embarrassment  
>  [15:34](Nanjou Yoshino) really? you came across so confidently when we first met, I assumed you'd be used to helping out new players  
>  [15:34] _Kusuda Aina sees Nanjou Yoshino and blushes with embarrassment._  
>  [15:35](Kusuda Aina) i barely got a word out and just told you to follow me  
>  [15:35](Kusuda Aina) where's the confidence in that  
>  [15:35](Kusuda Aina) but we digress. let's head into the dungeon \o/  
> 

The dungeon was easy to understand, since it was the very first dungeon new players set foot into. Aina und Yurika explained basic things like aggro, buffs and debuffs, and things healers like Yoshino had to watch out for. They were happy to find the conjurer catching on easily, and asking smart questions. Riho mostly jumped around in between fights, but during battle she was a one-(wo)man-army. Due to the quickness of a monk, she flew around the enemies like a greased lightning, delivering well-placed punches and hard hitting kicks. Aside from the explanations of the dark knight and the bard, Riho mostly asked Yoshino questions regarding her character, in which Aina and Yurika also participated. Yurika herself as the bard, equipped with a bow (and a well-hidden harp), shot arrows with pin-point accuracy and rained hell upon her party's enemies. Yoshino was so entranced by their seemingly effortless execution, that she almost forgot to heal Aina in time. And, before she knew it, they arrived at the last boss.

> [15:55](Kusuda Aina) this one isn't going to be as easy as the other ones  
>  [15:55](Kusuda Aina) once the bubbles appear over the wooden trap doors, make sure to click on them!  
>  [15:55](Kusuda Aina) otherwise more enemies will appear which make things a lot more difficult  
>  [15:56](Kusuda Aina) while all of this is happening, don't forget about your tank  
>  [15:56](Kusuda Aina) take care of me :)  
> 

The four of them divided the wooden trap doors among themselves, so everyone only needed to take care of one. A little countdown appeared, and once the word _START!_ appeared in bold letters on her screen, Aina engaged the lizard man. The first minute went by flawlessly; Yoshino kept Aina safe, while Yurika and Riho fulfilled their job as damage dealers. Suddenly, bubbles appeared over the trap doors. Yoshino ran to the one appointed to her, clicked on it and the bubbles disappeared. Riho however, focused on her damage output, didn't seem to see that her trap door was also starting to act up. Before Yoshino could type a warning to the monk, another lizard jumped out of it and ran straight towards the elezen conjurer. Just a short distance before he reached her, a dark bolt was thrown at his face, which Yoshino recognized as Aina's ranged ability. The lizard turned around and started wailing on the Au Ra, who took a lot more damage than before. Yoshino did her best to keep her healthy, but in the heat of the moment another lizard popped up behind her. _I forgot to check on the door!_ The dark magic also hit this one in the face, and now three lizard men attacked Aina. The boss was on his last quarter of health, and Yoshino kept her tank's HP up as good as she could. Suddenly, she heard a rolling thunder, and an orange aura started forming around Riho. A huge blade formed in her hands, which was almost as long her her whole body. The monk jumped up and delivered two mighty blows to the boss. Its HP dropped to zero and the battle was over.

> [15:59](Iida Riho) omg i am so sorry you guys ( >.<);;;;;;;;;;  
>  [16:00](IIda Riho) i was so focused on my damage ;_;  
>  [16:01](Nanjou Yoshino) I am sorry as well, I let one through, too...  
>  [16:01](Kusuda Aina) you were amazing!!!!!!!!  
>  [16:01](Kusuda Aina) if you had stopped healing to handle the trap door i would've died for sure *o*  
>  [16:02](Kubo Yurika) That was really good. :) Especially for a beginner!  
> 

Yoshino was happy to both recieve praise and to also have finished her first dungeon with them. _Video games might be something for me after all!_

> [16:04](Kusuda Aina) so? what do you guys say? do you think µ's could use a ninth member?  
>  [16:04](Kubo Yurika) I don't mind! :) She should fit right in.  
>  [16:05](Iida Riho) i'd be sad if she wouldn't get to join q.q  
>  [16:05](Nanjou Yoshino) Wait, what? You're not talking about me, aren't you?  
>  [16:05](Kusuda Aina) of course we're talking about you silly :0  
>  [16:06](Nanjou Yoshino) I'm not sure if I am worthy...  
>  [16:06](Kusuda Aina) you're worthier than sora when she joined  
>  [16:06](Iida Riho) lol good one  
>  [16:07](Nanjou Yoshino) I hope I'm not too much of a burden.  
>  [16:07] _Nanjou Yoshino bows courteously to Kusuda Aina._  
>  [16:07] _Nanjou Yoshino bows courteously to Kubo Yurika._  
>  [16:07] _Nanjou Yoshino bows courteously to Iida Riho._  
>  [16:07](Kusuda Aina) sora is still a burden after all this time and she's still in the fc  
>  [16:08](Kusuda Aina) i told you, don't worry too much  
>  [16:08](Kubo Yurika) She really is a polite one... :D  
> 

A entirely new window popped up in Yoshino's face. _Kusuda Aina has invited you to join the free company "Muse <µ's>"._ After a bit of hesitation, she accepted the invitation, and next to her name the tag appeared. The elezen was now a member of their free company.

> [16:09][FC] Kusuda Aina: welcomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee >o oh right to write in this chat you need to select the option in the chat window, or you type in /fc  
>  [16:09][FC] Nanjou Yoshino: Like this?  
>  [16:09][FC] Kusuda Aina: yes x)  
>  [16:10][FC] Uchida Aya: welcome~  
>  [16:10][FC] Kusuda Aina: oh aya, didn't notice your log-on  
>  [16:10][FC] Uchida Aya: i had a crafting urge >.<  
>  [16:10][FC] Kusuda Aina: but I gotta take care of some stuff now, bye~~~  
>  [16:10] Uchida Aya logged out.  
>  [16:11][FC] Nanjou Yoshino: I think I'll log off for the day, my sister should come home soon and I promised to do some stuff with her.  
>  [16:11][FC] Kusuda Aina: aw, there is so much I want to do with you still  
>  [16:11][FC] Nanjou Yoshino: I'll be back tomorrow!  
>  [16:11][FC] Kusuda Aina: i'll take your word on it >:) cya o/  
> 

Eli put the controller back to its usual place on the console, but she was smiling. It's been a while since the busy student council president had this much fun, and even more people appeared in her life. _Could it be that the summer holidays of this year won't be as boring as the last ones?_ With a good mood, she went to Alisa's room to pick out a movie with her to watch.


	6. A dark night

  
Pressure.  
Shame.  
_Why do you keep disappointing us?_  
Helplessness.  
Defenselessness.  
_You're spending too much time playing this stupid game!_  
High expectations.  
No offer to help.  
_Why aren't you behaving like we tell you to?_  
No one to turn to.  
_You've been at the parfait shop again? You're going to get fat._  
I can't take it anymore.  
_Do you really believe in something stupid like fortune-telling?_  
Help me.  
Cure me.  



	7. Purple Problems

Over the course of the following days, Eli continued her adventure in Eorzea as Nanjou Yoshino. She eventually got to know the other members; there was Aina-san’s tank partner, Mimori Suzuko, who played a paladin and was very caring about protecting her party members (especially Uchida-san). Uchida-san herself barely played any fighting class, but for the purpose of their 8-man-group, she was playing an astrologian, a healer like Yoshino. She was the crafter of µ‘s – if there was anything her friends needed, she’d ran out without a word and crafted it for them. The silver-haired lalafell disliked fighting, both with her friends and with digital enemies. Nitta Emi was the leader of their party, but she was an odd one. Her role was a Ninja, but her attitude was far from stealthy. Her energetic attitude and catchphrase ("Faito dayo!") was good for motivating her friends during tough fights, but outside of it, you’d think that she was a bit high on caffeine. Hori Eriko, called Pile, was the second healer of the party and played a Scholar. She usually left the healing to her fairy unless severe damage was coming in, and even then she’d be annoyed she had to switch off from dealing damage ("Nani sore? Imi wakanai."). The one who annoyed her the most was their black mage, Tokui Sora. Taking unneccesary damage to push her own damage numbers wasn’t something that was uncommon for her, much to the dismay of Pile. There are rumors that Tokui-san was doing it on purpose to get healed by Pile, but of course, Tokui-san would deny all those baseless accusations.  
The eight of them formed a something that was called a static raid group, or for short, a static. The purpose of this party was to tackle the most difficult fights the game had to offer. When ever Yoshino-san saw them talking about their raids, she was amazed how in-depth the discussion went for something was merely a game. Everybody had a specific role to fulfill or else the party would fail. It sounded very hardcore to Yoshino-san, but at the same time, she wanted to join and help them.  
In the meantime, the little conjurer leveled her way up and eventually became a White Mage, which she was very happy about. Of course, this was all sped up thanks to the help of µ‘s, but moreover thanks to the help of Aina-san, who helped Yoshino out whenever she could. 

It was another hot summer day when Eli was out for errands. The scorching sunlight made moving in any way unpleasant, and she only wanted to go home and lie down in her air-conditioned house. There was another alternative, and that was paying Mitsuoka-san’s a much needed visit. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the door. Already thinking about what parfait to order, Eli entered the café.  
Inside everything was back to how it used to it, with only two tables occupied. At first she was sad to find her favorite seat already taken, but the familiar purple twin tails reminded her of a promise that was long overdue. "Toujou-san, good afternoon! May I sit with you?" Eli approached the unattentive girl, who jumped up in her seat the moment she heard her name. "Ayase-san? Oh, yes, please, sit down!" Nozomi smiled happily at her unexpected guest as Eli sat down at her table. "Please, call me Eli. I was told recently that I'm being too polite." "Wha... I could never..." Nozomi was obviously blushing and trying to find reasons for her not to call the student council president by her first name, but in the end, she couldn't resist the smile of the girl sitting in front of her. "If you insist... but p-please... call me Nozomi in return." Eli was obviously satisfied with this and answered with a happy smile. "I'd be glad to!" Nozomi arrived not long before Eli did, so Mitsuoka-san had to only take one order from both of them. Nozomi ordered the same parfait as always, while Eli decided to go for a strawberry one. While they waited, they talked about the mundanest of things. The weather, school life, popular idol groups, but no personal topics were mentioned. Eli didn't want to scare off Nozomi immediately by talking about her newly found hobby of healing various things in a video game. "May I ask what you're doing during the summer holidays, Aya... uhm, Eli?" Nozomi started a personal conversation, which caught Eli a bit off guard and made her almost choke on her spoon. " Probably the same that every third-year is doing currently, studying mostly for the entrance exams. " The blonde let out a long sigh. " The better the college you want to attend, the harder their tests. Well, it's not like I have anything better to do..." When Eli looked back up from her parfait at Nozomi, the purple-haired girl's expression changed dramatically. Her newly found confidence vanished as if it never existed, and her green eyes focused hard on the crystalline glass in front of her. " But it's probably not different for you, right, Nozomi? " Her classmate didn't answer, but instead finished the last of her parfait and got up from her chair. "I am sorry, Ayase-san, but there is something that I remembered to do. Thank you for spending time with me, but I really need to go." "Uhm, sure. I hope I see you again soon!" Eli tried to smile at her newly found friend, but her face showed concern for Nozomi. _Was it something I said?_ Nozomi left some money on the table, grabbed her bag and rushed out of the café.

Ever since Eli left the café, she couldn't get her mind off of Nozomi. Various thoughts ran through her mind, thinking of what she could have said to hurt Nozomi so bad that she had to leave immediately. There wasn't anything, which made her even more concerned.  
To add on top of that problem, Aina-san wasn't logging on this evening either, despite her promise to show up today. Mimori-san and the others offered her to run the dungeon with her, but to Yoshino, a promise is a promise, and she declined the offer. Since playing isn't the same without the purple-haired Au Ra, Eli logged off and went back to studying, which she didn't have any success with either as her head was filled with concerns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry for the delay in this weeks chapter! I'm currently in exams on my own, and my first two drafts for this chapter mysteriously vanished from my hard drive ;-; I'll try to update more often!


End file.
